Out of the Darkness

Chapter 13

"Alice, I'd really like some time alone," I whispered. "I know I need rest. I know I need to eat, but I need her more." Alice hugged me, patting my cheek. I sighed, watching the guest house as the sun dipped below the horizon. Alice left the house and I just continued my usual ritual of watching over Bella as she slept. But, she didn't really sleep. She would doze off and her subconscious would attack, her mind would play her torture on repeat.

After three hours of endless torture, I got up and walked across my yard. Felix was sitting outside of the guest house, whimpering and scratching at the door. "You think you can help her, bud?" His tail wagged and I opened the door. Felix bounded through the foyer and onto the couch. Tenderly, he snuggled next to Bella, who looked shattered.

Her eyelids fluttered open, staring up at me with endless chocolate eyes. I crouched in front of her, caressing her cheek. "I don't pity you, Bella," I said. "I never could. I love you. With my whole heart, I love you."

"How did you know I was ...?" she trailed off. "You read my thoughts." Tears welled up and spilled over onto her pale cheeks. "I hate being like this. I'm not okay. I'll never be okay, Edward. And I wasn't kidding that I wanted to end it all. There are days where I still want to." She sat up, scrubbing behind Felix's ears. He snuggled closer, putting his head on her lap. "You'd miss me, pup?" Felix whimpered.

"Bella, don't," I whispered, my heart breaking at her broken voice and empty, agonizing pain within her soul. "Have you considered speaking with someone? A therapist? Psychiatrist?"

"I have, but I can't afford it," she sighed. "Not with my student loans, rent and day-to-day expenses."

"Let me help you," I whispered, cupping her pale cheek. "Let me give you what I can, with my love, support ..." Monetary assistance ...

Blinking up at me, she stared into my eyes, appraising me. "You really do love me. It's not a weird connection, mate-bond thing."

"The mating bond is a minute part of what I feel for you. Love is the biggest emotion, followed by the overriding need to protect you. Riley is dangerous," I choked out. "If anything happened to you ..." I closed my eyes, taking her tiny hands into mine. Her cast was gone and her wrist was completely healed, thanks to Alice. "Bella, stay with me. Stay here. You can have this guest house, but I can't have you go back to your apartment."

"Let me think about it," Bella said. "But, you look like hell, Edward."

"I'm still not a hundred percent," I chuckled. "I need more rest and more food."

Bella stood up, tugging on my hand. "Come, please." I stood up and followed her outside. We walked back to my home, my bedroom. Felix jumped up, his tail thumping. "You're cute, Felix, but we need the bed." Felix harrumphed, hopping off and curling up on the doggy bed in the corner. Bella pushed me into the bed. "Where are your wings?"

"I can retract them. They're hidden beneath my skin," I said, removing my shirt and showing her my winged tattoos.

"The tattoos are great, but I like your wings better," she said, tracing the black ink along my shoulder blades. I rolled my shoulders, allowing my wings to spring from my back. She gasped. "Does it hurt?"

"Unfurling them?" I asked. She nodded, moving in front of me. "No. It feels good. It looks painful, but being able to stretch out the muscles and let them be free, it's comfortable."

Bella bit her lip, crawling into the bed and laying on her side. "Lay with me, Edward. You need to rest."

I slid into the bed, moving closer to Bella. Shrugging my shoulder, I wrapped her closer to me with my wings. "Is this okay?" I asked. "I don't want to presume ..."